I can remember as a child, asking my dad what heaven would be like. I had envisioned an endless church service, with a sermon that would go on forever. I was not excited about the idea of heaven. It sounded rather boring. Even as an adult, I have struggled with being excited about spending eternity with God. What would that look like? What would I do all day? I know that heaven will be a place of eternal happiness, where there will be no pain, death, or sadness. I know that I will live in harmony with Jesus. But still, this physical world holds my attention. I can touch this world-feel this world-understand this world. What will heaven be like? How can I anticipate something that wonderful, that I don’t fully understand? I am sure these are questions we have all had at one time or another. It occurred to me this morning, as I was contemplating all that I have been learning, I am missing a major key point.

Many people I know have chosen their “word of the year.” Your “word for the year” is different from a New Years Resolution. Instead, you select one single word to be your focus for the year. This year my word is “awe”. Awe is defined as “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” It is “wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred.” I have chosen to make this my word of the year, so that my focus is on living in awe of who God is—His power—His glory—His eternality—The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. I don’t know how you can even list the attributes of God without a complete feeling of awe. And that, brings me back to my initial statement—Am I missing a major key point when I think about heaven and eternity? In the light of who God is, I certainly am!

Without understanding who God is, the eternal, all knowing, all powerful, all present God—how can our human minds understand and grasp the glories that await us in heaven? The bible is God’s holy word, written for us. His Spirit opens our hearts to its truth— “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV) We need to dig into God’s word, let it permeate our hearts and minds—changing us, sanctifying us, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” (Psalm 33:6 ESV) Don’t let this verse roll off your tongue so quickly that you miss the power it is displaying. By the word and breath of His mouth, He created the heavens and all their hosts! Estimates put the universe at 93 billion light years in diameter. It would take you 25,000 years to travel the length of the universe, if you could travel at the speed of light. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second! Let that sink in for a minute. God is so powerful, that with the breath of His mouth, the universe was created! Our sun is 864,000 miles in diameter and 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on the surface. By the word and breath of His mouth, God created the sun! Do you see what I am saying here? Can you look at the vastness and power and mysteries of the universe and NOT feel awe in your soul for the One who created it? I know that I cannot!

I challenge you to look at the attributes of God—really look at who He is.

• God is infinite. He is self-existing, and without origin.
• God is immutable. He never changes.
• God is self-sufficient. He is “perfectly complete within his own being.” (Tim Temple)
• God is omnipotent. He is all powerful.
• God is omniscient. He is all-knowing.
• God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at all times. He is not confined by space or time.
• God is wise, full of perfect, unchanging wisdom.
• God is faithful. He is infinitely and unchangingly true.
• God is good. A.W. Tozer wrote on the goodness of God, “disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of quick sympathy, and His unfairly attitude toward all moral beings is open, frank, and friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people.”
• God is just. He is unchangeably right and perfect in all he does.
• God is merciful. He is unchangeably compassionate and kind.
• God is gracious. “The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.”
• God is loving. God infinitely and unchangingly loves us.
• God is holy. God is unchangingly perfect.
• God is glorious. He is infinitely beautiful and great.

In light of all of this—I choose to focus my time and attention on the reverence He deserves—the worship He deserves. I humbly bow before my Lord and my God. -Amen